Mold for mending spokes, setting wheels, and tightening tires.



PATENTED FEB. 21, 1905."

B. RYAN. Y MOLD FOR MENDING SPOKBS, SETTING WHEELS, AND TIGHTENING TIRES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1, 1904.

314 out fox I Q/Vthw-oaeo 'zontal section taken through Fig. 3. 1s a vertical transverse section through por- Patented February 21, 1905.

EDMUND RYAN, OF LAVVRENCEVILLE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE F. SHUTT, OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

MOLD FOR MENDING SPOKES, SETTING WHEELS, AND TlGHTENlNG TIRES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 783,139,

dated February 21, 1905.

Application filed February 1,1904. Serial No- 191,567.

To all] whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND RYAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lawrenceville, in the county of Lawrence and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Molds for Mending Spokes, Setting Wheels, and Tightening Tires; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to molds, and has for its object to provide a flexible mold which is particularly adapted to be used upon spokes for vehicle-wheels when repairing said spokes or setting a wheel and tightening the tire by means of treating the spoke with molten metal, as will be hereinafter described.

With this object in view my invention consists in providing a flexible mold which will conform readily to the shape and contour of the spoke.

My lnventlon also consists in certain novel features of construction, which will be first fully described and afterward pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a flexible mold constructed of a thin tape metal. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a mold constructed, preferably, of leather having a metal gate. Fig. 3 is a perspective viewof aflexible mold having an inner lining of metal and an outer cover of leather. Fig. 4: is a horizontal section taken through Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a hori- Fig. 6

tion of a spoke and felly of a vehicle-wheel, showing thin metal mold in position and plastic material around the bottom of said mold.

Fig. 7 is a like view showing heavy leather mold in position and plastic material around the bottom of said mold.

Like numerals of reference indicate the same parts throughout the several figures, in which- 1 1 is a flexible mold which, as shown in Fig. 1, is constructed of a suitable thin tape metal, and 2 is a buckle or loop through which the free end of said mold passes. The buckle or loop 2 is located some little distance from the end 3 of the mold, so that when the mold is passed around the spoke the inner surface of said mold will be as smooth as possible and will hug the spoke snugly. 4 indicates the gate of the mold.

In Fig. 2 I show a flexible mold which is constructed of a heavy tough but flexible leather. Said mold is also provided with a buckle or loop 2, through which the free end of the leather passes, and the gate 4 is constructed of a thin metal, to which the two sections of the mold l 1 are securely riveted. Any suitable means for holding the mold in position around the spoke can be employed, a simple-means being to insert a small wedge 5 in the loop or buckle 2 between the mold and the buckle.

In Fig. 31 show a mold which is constructed of a thin tape metal 1 and an outer covering of thick, tough: but flexible leather 1, the leather and metal being securely riveted together. A gate 4: is also supplied and a suitable buckle or loop 2, through which the free end of the mold passes. In Fig. 1 the tapemetal mold is secured in position around the spoke by simply bending the metal outwardly, as shown in dotted lines. This means of se curing the mold shown in Fig. 3 is also employed, as shown in dotted lines.

In Fig. 6 I show a section taken through the end of a spoke and through the felly of a vehicle-wheel, and I show a mold constructed of thin tape metal in position around the end of the spoke, and I show a space between the spoke and the felly and this space filled with metal 7, which is run into the gate of the mold in a molten condition. It will also be observed that I show the felly considerably worn at 6, which worn condition of the folly is due to the shoulder of the spoke constantly pressing into the folly. I also show a suitable plastic material 7 around the bottom of the mold and resting on the felly, which is for v the purpose of closing the space between the bottom of the mold and the felly and preventing the molten metal 7 from running out from under the mold, and thus holding the metal within the space between the spoke and the felly. It will also be noted from this figure that the mold which is constructed of a thin tape metal, so as to be flexible, is so thin that a part of the worn portion 6 is covered by the plastic material, so that the metal 7 does not entirely fill the worn portion in the felly. In Fig. 7 I show a similar view; but I 'show the mold constructed, preferably, of

leather which is thick and tough, but at the same time flexible. Ishow thespace between the spoke and the felly filled with metal, and I also show the plastic material 7 around the bottom of the mold and resting on the felly. It will be noted that the worn portion of the felly occasioned by the shoulder of the spoke pressing against the felly is entirely filled with the metal, as the mold is thick enough to cover said worn portion, so that the plastic material when applied does not cover any of the said worn portion. The molten metal, therefore, when poured into the gate of the mold runs into the space between the spoke and the felly and runs under the mold and into the worn portion in the felly, thus appropriately filling both the worn portion and the space ,between the spoke and the felly, which, in eifect, makes a solid metal shoulder on the spoke.

In operation 1 separate the felly from the spoke by means of a suitable spreader, and I then apply the mold around the spoke, as shown, and apply a suitable plastic material, which may be of dough, clay, putty, or any material which could be used in this capacity. The plastic material covers the space between the bottom of the mold and thefelly of the wheel, so that when the molten metal is poured into the gate of the mold said molten metal is confined within the mold and runs into the space between the spoke and the felly and is prevented by the plastic material from running out over the telly.-

Many different styles and kinds of molds might be employed in this connection; but a suitable flexible mold similar to those shown in the drawings and previously described has by experiment shown to be the best suited and adapted to the work. I prefer, however, to use the mold made of leather or like material in preference to the metal mold, for the reason that the leather mold conforms readily to the shape and contour of the spoke and hugs the spoke more perfectly, so that the metal when poured into the gate runs into the space between the spoke and the fell}, because there are no openings around the spoke between the spoke and the mold where said metal can run and set. The leather mold is preferable, for the reason that the mold must be quite-thick in order to allow the 'molten metal to run into the worn portion of the felly,

which worn portion is occasioned by the shoulder of the spoke, as before described. The metal mold which would be thick enough to answer this purpose would not be flexible and could not be drawn tightly around the spoke, and as it is essential in order to effectually set the wheel or tighten the tire to fill .up all of the worn portion of the felly the leather mold. is much more preferable.

Having thus set forth my invention, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact construction herein set forth, as various slight changes can be made therein by those skilled in the art which would fall within the limit and scope of my invention, and I consider myself clearly entitled to all such changes and modifications.

WVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, 1s-

1. A flexible mold to be employed for the purpose described comprising a flexible band having a suitable gate for the reception of the metal, and a suitable fastening means at one end of said band through which the other end of said band is adapted to pass, substantially as described.

2. A flexible mold for the purpose described which consists of an inner metal lining and an outer portion of leather or like material, the said outer portion being securely fastened to said inner lining and a suitable means for bolding the mold in position around a vehiclespoke.

3. A flexible mold for the purpose described, having a suitable gate for the reception of the metal, and a buckle or loop secured to said mold through which one end of said mold is adapted to pass, said mold being held in position around a vehicle-spoke by bending outwardly the portion of the mold which is passed through the said buckle or loop.

4:. A flexible mold for the purpose described which consists of an inner metal lining having a suitable gate for the reception of the metal and an outer portion of leather or like material, substantially as described.

5. A device for setting wheels and tightening tires, comprising a flexible band having a suitable gate for the reception of the metal, a fastening means at one end thereof through which the other end is adapted to pass, and a plastic material adapted to be applied around said band, substantially as described.

6. A mold for a spoke and tire tightener comprising a strip of suitable flexible material bent transversely intermediate its length into a transverse channel adapted to guide molten metal applied thereto, said strip being designed to be wrapped about a spoke, and means for facilitating retention of said strip in such wrapped condition.

7. A mold for a spoke and tire tightener, comprising a strip or band of suitable material provided at one end with a guiding-loop for receiving the other end of said strip, and said strip being provided with means for guiding and directing molten metal as it is poured.

8. A mold for a spoke and tire tighrener, comprising a strip or band of suitable material provided at one end with a pivotally-supported loop for receiving the other end of said strip, and said strip being provided with a channel or groove molten metal when it is poured.

9. A mold for spoke and tire tighteners comprising a flexible adjustable strip of metal designed to be passed around a spoke and connecting and adjusting means pivotally mounted on said strip, the strip being provided with means for directing molten metal transversely thereof.

for guiding and directing 10. A mold for spoke and tire tighteners comprising a strip of flexible material adapt 

